


Point of View

by dinolaur



Series: 100 Bucky Feels to Counter 100 Tony Kills [14]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Gen, genderbent
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-01
Updated: 2014-05-01
Packaged: 2018-01-21 12:43:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,286
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1550894
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dinolaur/pseuds/dinolaur
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Best friends see the best of you, even when you don't want to see it yourself.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Point of View

They aren’t actually supposed to go up to the roof, at least not without Mr. Barnes there to watch them. But they both sort of have problems with authority—Steve likes to pretend that she doesn’t, but she wouldn’t come up here every time Bucky suggested it if she didn’t have that problem, now would she?—so they find themselves up on the roof at least once a week. They split a Coke between them, because Cokes are a luxury and aren’t cheap.

There is a dance coming up at the end of the week at school, and the teachers that afternoon had outlined dress code and rules to the students. Steve is still sore that they expect her to wear a dress.

“I don’t think I’ll go,” she declares.

“What,” Bucky cries. “But you gotta! I can’t go without you there.” He fixes big eyes on her, and Steve laughs.

“Maybe,” she says. “But you’d owe me.”

“The biggest favor,” Bucky agrees. “Not to mention, I’ll get all sorts of brownie points with your ma.”

Steve groans dramatically, flopping onto her back. Her cap falls off, spilling her hair all over the gritty roof. Bucky chuckles and swipes the hat for himself. “She’s gonna be over the moon. You’ll probably get cookies for this.”

They spend some time talking, mostly Steve complaining about the dress code, before Bucky suggests something that makes Steve sit up and stare at him with wide eyes. “Kiss,” she asks, her voice squeaking a bit. “Us?”

Bucky shrugs. “Yeah, why not?”

“Because we’re not sweet on each other, maybe,” Steve offers.

Bucky shifts to face her entirely. “Yeah, I know that,” he says. “But one day I’m gonna have a gal, and you’ll have a fella, and we want to know what we’re doing, right?” Steve makes an uncomfortable face. Bucky considers her seriously. “Look, Steve, we don’t have to at all if you don’t want. I just thought maybe get in the practice with someone we wouldn’t be embarrassed about.”

Steve pulls her knees up under her chin. “It’s not that,” she mumbles.

Bucky scoots a little closer. “So what is it?”

She doesn’t answer until he pokes at her side. “Well,” she grumbles. “It’s just—I mean—me?”

“What do you mean, you,” Bucky asks.

“Why would you want to kiss me,” she asks.

Bucky’s brows furrow in confusion. “I just told you. Practice.”

“There’s plenty of other girls you could practice with,” Steve says. “And they wouldn’t care at all if it wasn’t some fairy tale kiss. Ruth Stangleton would give her left foot to get a kiss from you, and she’s the prettiest girl in class.”

Bucky looks intrigued for a second or two before asking, “So that’s all you’re worried about, that there are other people I could practice with? It’s not just that you think I’m being sleazy?”

“I know you’re not,” she says, pulling her knees up tighter.

“But you’re still upset about something.” It’s not a question. “Come on, what is it?”

She really doesn’t want to answer, but Bucky might even be more stubborn than her. He wears her down until she caves. “It’s just—it’s practice for you. It’s not much of anything for me.”

“Well, yeah it is,” Bucky says flabbergasted. “When you’ve got a guy, you’ll—“

“See, that,” Steve says. “You say when like it’s going to happen.”

“Sure it is,” Bucky says.

With a frustrated groan, Steve stands up and paces. “It’s when for you, Bucky. Girls like you. Heck, people like you.”

“People like you too, Steve,” he says.

Rolling her eyes, she grumbles, “Yeah, grocery store owners and all the old ladies in my apartment.”

Bucky shakes his head. “You’re being dingy. We’ve got lots of friends.”

“You have lots of friends,” Steve almost shouts. She hates this. “You have lots of friends. I’ve just got you.”

“But the guys—“

“They tolerate me because you say to,” Steve says, her shoulders dropping. “And you know that’s true.”

Frowning, Bucky pulls himself to his feet. “Well, forget ‘em, then. I’d take you on your most annoying over all of them on their best day anytime.”

Steve can’t help but sort of smile at him. “That’s actually pretty sweet of you,” she says, rubbing the heel of her palm at her eye. “Doesn’t change anything, but it’s sweet.”

“Why doesn’t that change anything,” he asks.

“You’re the only person who would ever say something like that,” she says.

“Well, that’s nuts,” he retorts. “Don’t worry about it, pal. We’ll find you a good dance partner this weekend and then—“

“Just stop it, Bucky,” Steve snaps, and she can feel her eyes starting to sting with tears. He is so thick headed, and he just doesn’t get it.

He looks hurt. “Hey, I’m only trying to help. You’d help set me up with a dame, wouldn’t you? Same thing here, isn’t it?”

“No,” she cries, wishing he would just get it and drop it. “Because girls want to date you, but no one would want to date me.”

Bucky’s head cocks to the side. “Why would you say that?”

She hates it when she cries. It’s so useless, and over something like this, it’s just so silly. And she isn’t even upset, really, just angry that he won’t leave it alone.

“Steve,” he insists, crossing his arms.

“You really going to make me say it,” she says miserably. “Really?”

“Well, I have to,” he says in obvious frustration. “Because I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Look at me, Bucky,” she cries. “I’m too small. I’m too skinny. I’m not pretty. I’m always sick. I’m not lady like. I wear boys’ clothes and play baseball and get in fights. Nobody wants anything to do with me. Nobody’s ever going to want anything to do with me.”

She is yelling by the end of it, which makes her cough a bit, which only serves to frustrate her more. And Bucky just stands there, staring at her like she has grown another head.

Then he is suddenly completely in her space, wrapping his arms around her in a tight hug. “Stephanie Rogers, you listen to me and you listen to me good. I don’t ever want to hear you say anything like that every again. You are—you’re beautiful, and you’re amazing, and you’re the best friend anyone could ask for. Anyone who says otherwise, they’re a fink.”

Steve squeezes her eyes shut, tears leaking out, as she clings to Bucky. “I don’t know when it’s going to happen—when, you hear—but one day, you’re going to find some guy that, even though he isn’t worth your time, because you’re a catch, you’re going to settle for, and he is going to thank his lucky stars every day of his life that you gave him a chance.”

And Steve doesn’t really think about it any further. She pushes up onto her toes and presses her lips against Bucky’s. She catches him by surprise, so he just stands there for a second, but then he kisses her back, his hands moving slowly up and down her back.

When they pull back, it’s only enough for Bucky to rest his forehead against hers. He grins at her. “Not too bad, huh?” Steve chuckles wetly. Bucky brings up a hand and uses a thumb to wipe under her eyes. “Stop crying, will ya,” he says lowly. “I hate it.”

She can’t quite stop yet, so she tucks her head under his chin, clinging to his shirt as he rocks her back and forth. “I mean it, Steve,” he says. “You’re amazing. Anyone who can’t see it, they aren’t worth your time.” 


End file.
